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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · mark · track · wound · stick · kid · safe · sharp

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wound — an injury
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. track — a song
  8. track — a path
  9. kid — child
  10. object — to protest
  11. kid — to tease
  12. wound — an injury
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. object — a thing
  15. mark — a trace
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com